How To Put Your Own Music On Spotify?

Promote With Social Media

How To Add Your Own Music Tracks to Spotify 2021 – Mac/PC/Android/iOS

Spotify and social media go hand in hand when it comes to building a fanbase. Letting your social media followers know where they can find your music on Spotify has a huge impact when it comes to getting more plays.

Thankfully, Spotify has plenty of tools that make it easy for artists and fans to share their music on their social platforms. Possibly the best of these is the Share To Instagram Stories feature.

This allows you to create a story with the cover art from your music or playlist on Instagram. Fans can tap the artwork to be taken directly to it on Spotify. The video below has some great tips on how to utilize this tool to its full extent.

There are similar features available for Snapchat and Facebook Stories, as well as the ability to share links on sites such as Twitter or Facebook.

How Do You Get Your Music On Spotify

To get your music on Spotify, youll need to work with a distributor. They serve as the pipes that deliver your music to Spotify .

Each distributor we mention in this post can get your music on Spotify. However, they all differ in the specifics of what they can offer costs, pricing, location, and additional services. To figure out who you should use, we recommend that you start by asking yourself several key questions below.

How To Listen To Playlists Offline

After you add your local music to Spotify albums and playlists, you can download them to listen offline on Spotify.

To download your tracks for offline listening, first grab the device that you want to use to listen to Spotify whether its your smartphone, your computer, or else. Navigate to the playlist that contains your local files and find the toggle. After you switch it on, youll be able to download your tracks and listen to them offline.

If you run into problems at this stage, check that youre logged into the same Spotify account on both your computer and your smartphone. Make sure both of the devices are connected to the same WiFi network. Finally, check if your Spotify app is up-to-date. You should now be all set to go.

How To Find Your Local Files On Spotify

To find your new files on the Spotify app, click Your Library from the left menu and there will be a new category called Local Files. All your files will appear in the main area, but to be able to listen to them from your phone, you’ll need to add them to a playlist. You can create an entirely new playlist or add the songs to an existing one.

Once the files are added to a playlist, they’ll be accessible from an iOS or Android device.

How To Publish Songs On Spotify

Now that you have a Spotify account, you can start to publish songs on Spotify.

Step 1. Make sure you have completed the recording of an original song that you want to publish on Spotify. As you want to earn money from it, you can only publish original music written by yourself.

Step 2. Then log in Spotify and find any unreleased music at the top of the “Home” tab, or in your discography in the “Profile” tab.

Step 3. Next select “GET STARTED” next to the release you want to submit. Or, in “Profile”, right-click any unreleased music, and select “Submit a Song”.

Step 4. Finally just select a song from the release to submit. Then fill out as much information about the song as possible, because the more information you provided, the better chance it has.

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Set A Release Date And Select Streaming Services

Youre almost there!

In the final step, you must set your release date.

This is very important because setting your release date far enough in advance will give you time to clear your samples and also prepare your for your release.

In the final step, youll also choose the platforms on which youd like to release your music on.

Since were talking about releasing music on Spotify in this article, make sure Spotify is selected in this section.

If you dont want your release to be available in certain countries you can also specify this here too.

Finding An Audience On Spotify

Spotify might have millions of music-hungry users, but it also has an incredible amount of music competing for their attention.

Dont get discouraged if you find it difficult to find listeners who connect with your music easily or quickly. Traditional music promotion methods like PR and radio campaigns will help, and youll also find a benefit from pitching to unofficial playlists and music blogs. Remember, plays, follows, and saves cant measure your worth as an artist, but they are significant indicators of how your music is being received.

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Getting Your Music On Streaming Sites

The very first thing you need to worry about as independent artists is making sure your music is GOOD ENOUGH to be out in the world. Make sure you know how to sing, how to rap or how to make beats that are FIRE before putting it out there. And if you play an instrument, brush up on how to play guitar or how to play piano before you record your music.

If youre SURE your music is good enough to be out there in the world to be judged by complete strangers, you need to get it to where everyones listening. But how? Unless youre signed to a label, you have to work with an artist aggregator or distributor to get your music placed on these various services.

How To Upload Music To Spotify Locally

How to add your own music to Spotify

The process of uploading music to Spotify from your device is called uploading local files. This allows Spotify to show music on your device that youve downloaded locally. This will not allow other people to stream your music this is just for you to listen to on your device.

Open the Spotify mobile app on your device. From the Home screen, select the gear-shaped icon in the upper right corner of the interface to open Settings.

Scroll down in Settings until you see Import. Underneath, you should see Show local audio files. Switch this on.

If you have music or audio downloaded on your device and this can even be audio recordings that youve done using a voice recorder these will show up in a folder called Local Files in Your Library.

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How To Upload Music To Spotify As An Artist

If youre like that producer I mentioned earlier, then you may be looking into getting your own music on Spotify. This includes songs and albums that you put together yourself.

Unlike Soundcloud, YouTube, and many other media consumption outlets, producers cant just upload their own music to Spotify and have millions of people stream their songs. It isnt that simple. To get your music on Spotify as an artist, you will have to go through a distribution company. Many artists get their start by going through distributors like DistroKid, CD Baby, and Tunecore.

Spotify has a Getting music on Spotify page that talks more about distributors.

Promote Your Music In Other Avenues

Try not to box yourself in when it comes to thinking of ways to get more plays on Spotify. Pretty much any promotional tactic can be used to increase your listener base.

When performing live be sure to ask people to follow you on Spotify, approach blogs and PR outlets to promote your releases, get your songs on the radio and tell your friends in person. For more tips in this regard check out our guide to music marketing and song promotion.

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Make The Most Of Spotify

While many users choose Spotify over other music streaming services, not many of them are aware of the apps hidden features like the ability to upload your own music to Spotify albums. Whether you have a paid Premium or free subscription, Spotify has a lot of little-known perks that can improve your overall user experience and help you do more with the app.

Would you use Spotify to listen to your local music files? What other handy Spotify features have you come across when using the app? Share your personal Spotify tips in the comments section below.

Anya is a freelance technology writer. Originally from Russia, she is currently a full-time Remote Worker and Digital Nomad. With a background in Journalism, Language Studies, and Technical Translation, Anya couldn’t imagine her life and work without using modern technology on a daily basis. Always looking out for new ways to make her life and location-independent lifestyle easier, she hopes to share her experiences as a tech- and internet-addict through her writing. Read Anya’s Full Bio

How To Upload Music To Spotify

Knowing how to upload music to Spotify allows you to add tracks to your music library that aren’t available on the streaming service.

Although Spotify has a catalog of more than 70 million tracks, it certainly doesn’t offer every song ever recorded, and you’re bound to encounter the occasional omission. These include remixes, live performances, old B-sides and even some well-known tunes.

You may already have copies of these missing tracks that you ripped from CDs into MP3 format, but the convenience and cross-platform nature of Spotify make it a better option for playing music than a traditional desktop media player.

The good news is that there’s a workaround that lets you import your own audio files into Spotify to fill the gaps in your music library. You can either play these tracks in Spotify’s desktop app or, if you subscribe to Spotify Premium, in its mobile app for Android and iOS devices.

Here we’ll explain how to upload music to Spotify, so you can enjoy your favorite songs wherever you go, even when they’re not available on the streaming service.

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How To Add Local Files To Spotify On Windows

On Windows, Spotify runs a scan on all your music folders as soon as you install the app. However, if your music files reside in scattered folders, Spotify is unlikely to locate all of them.

Open your Spotifydesktop app.
Click on your Profile icon and name in the upper right corner, then select Settings. You can also click on the horizontal ellipsis in the top-left section, then select Edit -> Preferences.
In the Local Files section, toggle Show Local Files on.
In the Music Library section, click on ADD A SOURCE.
In the Show songs from section, click on ADD A SOURCE to choose a folder, then click on OK.
The folder you selected now appears in the Show songs from section in the Spotify app. You can toggle each folder on or off whenever you want.
When you return to the Home screen and select Your Library on the left, you can click on the Local Files folder.
While open, you can play your local music, add then to a playlist, etc.

Getting Your Music On Spotify Isn’t Rocket Science

Getting your music on Spotify can seem daunting at first, but it’s really not that difficult. All you need is a Spotify-approved distributor, your music files in the correct format, and quality artwork.

Then, simply follow the instructions of your chosen distributor and wait for your song to go live on Spotify. With minimal effort, you could have your music streaming on one of the world’s most popular music platforms in no time.

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What Can You Do With Spotify For Artists

As Spotify offers “Spotify for Artists” for users who want to publish songs on Spotify, therefore I’d like to introduce you this function at first. It’s designed for those who love music and want to share their music. What can you do with access to Spotify for Artists?

A. Get your profile new-release ready. You are allowed to update your bio, share your playlists, promote your music and control how listener comment you on Spotify.

B. Follow your release as it grows, all in real time. You can see who’s tuning in and getting live updates on your new release, no matter where you are.

C. Learn about your listeners. Also understand who’s listening and where to book gigs-whether you are playing a few shows or planning a full tour.

To publish your songs on Spotify, you need to have a Spotify artist account at first.

The Best Music Distributors:

How to Add Your Own Music on Spotify

Publishing Admin
Tunecore Social
Best for:
You dont care about skimping on budget. You are ok with annual fees, and you want to be with one of the biggest distributors with the most services/resources.

Sowho is the best music distribution service? The answer will depend based on your needs and preferences.

As you review each company, think about factors are most important to you. Some questions to ask yourself are: What is my budget? How much music do I expect to release? Do I want/need additional tools or am I OK with just the basics?

One suggestion we highly recommend is talking to your fellow artists, either in person, online via sites like reddit the WeAreTheMusicMakers subreddit is a phenomenal resource. Connect with artists that have similar goals so you can ask them for their personal experience with their distributor.

Lastly, keep in mind its 2019, there a many more distributors out there that are not listed above including all have their strengths.

Additional Distributors to Consider:

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Questions To Ask Before Choosing A Distributor:

What are your goals as an artist? Is this just a hobby or are you a career musician.

How much music do I plan to release? This is crucial for picking the best pricing structure for your needs.

Do you need additional services? Do you just need someone to get your music into the various stores or do you want promotional services, publishing, etc.

How much revenue do you expect your music to generate?This will help determine what you can afford.

What is your budget for music distribution? What are your funds currently to start paying for distribution.

Adding Local Music To The Desktop Client

First, make sure the song or songs you want to add are properly synced up in your desktop client and have been either recorded yourself, or you own the DRM rights to share it among multiple devices. Any songs with DRM restrictions will not be able to sync with the Spotify service and will only open in media players that are designed to put in DRM requests with central servers.

For Windows users, Spotify will automatically scan your Downloads, Documents, and Music folders for any potential tracks that might be stored on the machine. Mac users will need to load any files they want into their iTunes, My Music, or Downloads folder if they expect the service to catch them on its own. Any other folders can be added by going into Preferences, scrolling down to Local Files and clicking Add a Source, near the bottom.

With the folder added, any non-DRM restricted music contained within will be immediately imported into the Spotify library, found under the Local Files tab in the main menu tree.

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How To Import Local Music To Spotify

I have songs on my PC that are not on Spotify servers, but I wish to listen to them with Spotify. How can I import my local music to Spotify?

Though Spotify offers a large music library, sometimes you may find that the songs you are looking for are not available on Spotify. One of the unique aspects of Spotify is that it blends a typical streaming music service with the playback of music you have stored on your own PC. This way you can supplement Spotifys 70 million-track library with other tracks you own that don’t appear in the Spotify database of tunes.

Normally, when you install the Spotify app successfully on your computer, the program will automatically search and sync locally stored music on your hard drive. But, what if you’ve got a collection of MP3s spread across several folders or even external storage? Spotify obviously won’t know about these, so sometimes, you have to manually add these tracks.

How Much Does Spotify Pay

This question sounds like it should be simple, but its actually not. Lets start with factors on the side of artists first. If you write, record, produce, or collaborate with other musicians, have a manager, or are signed to a record label, the streaming revenues you collect from Spotify will probably be split up in multiple ways. Some distribution companies offer royalty splitting features for this exact reason, and others dont.

Now, lets delve into how payments work on Spotifys end of things. Spotify pays per play, but in a complicated way. According to a recent article from Business Insider on the topic, One way to think about it is to think about divvying up a pie. For instance, if there are a million eligible streams in a month, and you have 100,000 streams in that month, then your stream share is 10% of the revenue pool, or pie.

The exact amount Spotify pays artists changes frequently, but a recent blog estimated that the average artist receives $0.0032 per-stream. Thats an undeniably low number, but rival music platforms like YouTube, Yandex, and Tencent pay far lower. With streaming payouts this low, artists need to generate hundreds of thousands of streams before theyre likely to see meaningful money come from their music.